Updated
Internal Door Sticking Or Rubbing
A door catches on the frame or the carpet, has to be shoved to close, or drags open on its own.
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What's happening?
A door is a large flat panel hung on two or three small fixings, so it shows up any movement in the wall, the floor or the door itself. Timber doors take up moisture in a damp season and swell across their width, which is why so many doors stick in winter and clear in summer. Screws in a hinge slowly work loose in softwood, letting the door drop and catch on the latch side. A new carpet raises the floor under the leading edge. And in older houses the frame itself moves as the building settles, so a door that was hung square is no longer in a square opening. Working out which one you have is the whole job — planing a door that has only dropped is a permanent fix for a temporary problem.
What usually causes it?
- Hinge screws loose in the frame or the door, letting the door drop on the latch side
- The door swollen across its width from seasonal humidity or a damp room
- A new carpet or underlay raising the floor under the leading edge
- The frame moved out of square as the building has settled
- A hinge recess cut too deep or too shallow, so the door sits proud or binds at the hinge edge
- Layers of paint built up on the door edge and the frame stop
- A warped or bowed leaf, common on hollow-core doors in a room with big humidity swings
Is it dangerous?
No, but a door that has to be forced is a door working its hinges and its frame loose, and one that has stuck shut in a bedroom or a bathroom is worth clearing rather than living with — particularly where a child or an older person needs to open it in a hurry.
Can I fix it myself?
Start with the free fix. Open the door, check every hinge screw, and tighten any that turn without biting — if a screw spins, a longer screw into the frame stud, or a glued dowel in the hole, will usually restore the grip. Then close the door slowly and look for where the light closes up, which tells you whether it is rubbing at the top of the latch side, the bottom, or the hinge edge. Only think about planing once the hinges are sound and you know the door is genuinely too big.
When should you call a handyman?
Call a handyman when the door needs easing and rehanging rather than tightening, when the frame is out of square, when the door has warped, or when a fire door is involved — those have specified gaps and intumescent seals and should not be planed on guesswork. A handyman will also fit the door to the opening rather than to where it currently sticks.
What will the handyman actually do?
- Check and repair hinge fixings in both the door and the frame before anything is removed
- Diagnose whether the door has dropped, swollen, warped or the frame has moved
- Ease and rehang the door, adjusting hinge recesses so it sits square in the opening
- Plane and re-finish the eased edge so bare timber is not left to take up moisture again
- Adjust the latch, keep and door stops so the door closes cleanly without being forced
Frequently asked questions
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Sources & References
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